Breaking News: Draft2Digital Acquires Smashwords

From the Draft2Digital website:

We’re betting that’s a headline you never expected to see, and we’re already anticipating the chatter this will cause in the indie author community!

We know this is going to feel a bit unexpected and out of the blue, but we’re very excited to make this announcement, and even more excited about what this means for you and the rest of the author community.

Since Draft2Digital was founded, in 2012, we have always believed that Smashwords was a vital and integral part of the self-publishing community. In many ways, Smashwords ultimately built the very industry in which we all work and thrive. Their work laid the foundation, and we’ve all been building on that foundation ever since.

And though Draft2Digital and Smashwords have always been cast as rivals in this little drama, the truth is it was, at worst, a friendly rivalry. In the end, we share the same goal: Empower self-published, indie authors and publishers to build and grow their publishing careers.

At the core of each company there has always been a love and appreciation of the author community. Many of us are authors ourselves, and each company was founded to provide the sort of services and support that we need. We understood your needs because we share them.

To read more, go to the Draft2Digital website here.

Audible Captions, Copyright Lawsuits, and Other News from the World of Writing

indie author newsThings move so quickly in the world of writing and publishing, it’s often hard to keep up, and the month of July was really hopping. I’ve rounded up some of the top stories to share with you.

First up, Audible has caused quite a stir with its plan to announce a new “Captions” program in September. What is Captions? Well, the details are unknown at this point, and that’s part of the problem. Continue reading “Audible Captions, Copyright Lawsuits, and Other News from the World of Writing”

International Kudos for Indies Unlimited

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Advice website for independent authors receives thumbs-up from publishing journal

Chewelah, WA – 8/2/2017 – Indies Unlimited, a website that celebrates and supports independent authors, received a recommendation from a respected authority this week. No Shelf Required, a highly-respected online journal on all aspects of eBooks and digital content, touted Indies Unlimited as “that single, reliable resource … needed to help novice indie authors.”

This is not the first time Indies Unlimited has won critical acclaim. In 2014, it was listed in Publishers Weekly magazine as one of Six Great Blogs for Indie Authors.

“This was completely unexpected,” said K.S. Brooks, who administers the site and who is an award-winning author of more than 30 titles in her own right. “No Shelf Required columnist Peyton Stafford and I were discussing eBooks in libraries, and the next thing I knew, this article was in my inbox. I’m thrilled to death.”

No Shelf Required features contributions from book and library professionals and thought leaders in the United States and around the world. The article advised librarians, “if your problem is where to refer your indie authors, then your solution is Indies Unlimited. Here, they will find the help and advice they need to write, edit, publish and market their books without being taken advantage of by the many author scams that prey on indies.” You can read the entire article here: http://www.noshelfrequired.com/indies-unlimited-a-one-stop-source-of-reliable-information-for-indie-authors/

You can learn more about Indies Unlimited at www.IndiesUnlimited.com, and more about K. S. Brooks at www.ksbrooks.com.

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Indie News Beat with Chris James

IndieNewsBeatwithCJThe news you read may not be the news you need.

The big story over the last few weeks also happened to be an almost non-story, but this is what makes the internet such a remarkable thing. On the one hand, sudden global exposure can give an important but off-beat issue the publicity it truly deserves, while on the other hand, less important news gains more notice than it can justify. This is caused by journalists having to meet a constant demand for new content, and these stories tend to follow a similar viral pattern.

Thus it was last month with the great Amazon vs. Hatchette bake-off. Continue reading “Indie News Beat with Chris James”